New York [US], February 14 (ANI): New York's Drug Enforcement Administration released pictures of Nikhil Gupta, an Indian man accused of orchestrating a failed assassination plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a NIA designated terrorist in New York, who pleaded guilty on Friday (local time) and was given a sentence of upto 24 years in prison.

Sharing the visuals in a post on X it said, 'Regional Associate Chief of Operations Frank Tarentino issues statement on the Guilty Plea of Nikhil Gupta; thanks to the great work of the #DEANYTFD, who foiled this murder-for-hire plot.'

https://x.com/DEANEWYORKDiv/status/2022381314046124057?s=20

The FBI in New York stated that the case highlights the FBI's ongoing commitment to protecting the homeland from threats posed by foreign nationals targeting Americans exercising their constitutionally protected rights.

In a post on X, the FBI said, 'Following an investigation by FBI New York, and US Attorney SDNY, Nikhil Gupta pled guilty to plotting to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City.'

'... NIKHIL GUPTA, a/k/a 'Nick,' an Indian national, pled guilty to all three counts contained in the Second Superseding Indictment, charging him with murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in connection with his efforts to murder a U.S. citizen in New York City. GUPTA pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and is scheduled to be sentenced by US District Judge Victor Marrero on May 29, 2026,' a statement by the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said.

'Nikhil Gupta was a key participant in a murder-for-hire plot against a US citizen, a murder that was prevented thanks to the actions of US law enforcement,' said FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky.

'The US citizen became a target of transnational repression solely for exercising their freedom of speech. The message from the FBI should be clear - no matter where you are located if you try to harm our citizens we will not stop until you are brought to justice.'

Earlier, on October 17, 2024, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the individual named in the US Justice Department's indictment case in the foiled assassination plot against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was no longer an employee of the government of India.

'The US State Department informed us that the individual in the Justice Department indictment is no longer employed by India. I confirm that he is no longer an employee of the Government of India,' MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a press conference.

Notably, the US Justice Department has claimed that an Indian government employee (named CC-1), who was not identified in the indictment filed in a federal court in Manhattan, recruited an Indian national named Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman to carry out the assassination of Pannun, which was foiled by US authorities, according to prosecutors.

According to the allegations levelled earlier, the accused Nikhil Gupta is an associate of an employee of the Indian government and together they and others helped plot the assassination of Pannun in New York City.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun is an India-designated terrorist who holds American and Canadian citizenship. (ANI)